Victoria officials enact second phase of drought plan

CONSERVE WATER

Water the lawn only when necessary. If the grass has turned a dull gray-green or if footprints remain visible, it is time to water.

Use a sprinkler that produces large drops of water, rather than a fine mist, to avoid evaporation.

To avoid evaporation, turn soaker hoses so the holes are on the bottom.

Water slowly for better absorption and never water on windy days.

Avoid watering the street, sidewalks or driveways.

Do not water too frequently. Too much water can overload the soil so that air cannot get to the roots and can encourage plant diseases.

Do not over-water. Soil can absorb only so much moisture, and the rest simply runs off. A timer, such as a kitchen timer or an alarm clock, will help reduce water use. One and a half inches of water applied once a week will keep most Texas grasses alive and healthy.

Source: City of Victoria

Stage II Drought Plan

·Water only from the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight.

·Wash motor vehicles, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicles only from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Washing vehicles at a commercial car wash or service station can be done at any time.

·Fill, refill or add water to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools, wading pools or Jacuzzi-type pools only from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight.

·Fire hydrant use is limited only to firefighting related activities or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety and welfare, except if designated under special permit.

Irrigate golf course greens, tees and fairways only from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight, unless the course uses a water source other than that provided by the city.

Source: City of Victoria

Now in the second stage of an emergency drought plan, Victoria officials enacted strict rules Tuesday concerning water usage.

The city is enforcing times in which residents can water lawns, wash vehicles or use water for any nonessential purpose.

Using water in off-hours could land violators a $500 fine, said Public Works Director Lynn Short.

Short said the plan is designed to minimize water evaporation.

"Hopefully, we'll get some rainfall either here or above us in the watershed, and the (Guadalupe) river level will come back up, and we'll be able to come out of this Stage II," Short said.

Before the city can return to Stage 1 of voluntarily limiting water use, the Guadalupe River must be above the "trigger level" for 14 consecutive days, Short said.

In July, the river's trigger level is 300 cubic-feet-per-second, or a flow above 134,600 gallons per minute.

"In laymen's terms, our permit to draw river water from the state has environmental flow restrictions in it," Short said.

The restrictions are set to protect the river's habitats and downstream water rights.